I arrived home at the exact time I planned to. I didn’t waste any time going up stairs. Once I open the double doors to my room I started taking my blazer and sweater vest off. I need to shower and after that I need to look up topics for Mr. Kingsley’s class.

A knock distracts my steps and causes me to turn around.

Euaerin smiles at me “Hey. How was school?”

I smile back “Fine. I have a lot to take care of but I mean I guess I’m okay with it as long as it keeps me distracted.”

She nods looking around unsure where to stare “Did you eat already? If not I’ll tell Sumi to have the cooks prepare something, you know she’ll be more than happy to do that for you.”

“It’s okay. I actually need to catch up on some more school work” I smile

She doesn’t argue with me “You’re just like your father” She lightly smiles “Alright, but make sure you have something small so you don’t go to bed with an empty stomach. Goodnight sweetie.”

“Goodnight”

The one thing I really liked about Euaerin was that she never walked into this house trying to claim her position as my dad’s wife.

She was a really close friend to my dad before he met my mom. When he did, Euaerin put her feelings to the side to let him be happy. She’s always loved him and he loved her too but since neither expressed their feelings afraid to ruin their friendship they found different partners instead.

I thought it was really brave of Euaerin to let my dad marry my mom without interfering with my mom’s feelings. It showed what kind of person she was and knowing all this information just made me accept her as a step-mother and a friend.

I shut my MacBook, rubbing my eyes. I still couldn’t narrow it down to any topics. I check the time and it’s almost midnight, I decide to call it a night. Maybe letting my brain rest it will have something tomorrow morning, hopefully.

Before I turn the lights off, I open the drawer by my night stand and take out a photo. I smile at the same picture I always do before going to sleep. I kiss my index and middle finger and place them down on the picture I’m in with my mother.

“Goodnight mom”

I put it back in its place and close my eyes.

I was up and early for today. I had my hair in a ponytail ready in my sweats to head to the dance studio at school. I grab my two bags and go downstairs.

Sumi smiles at me at the other end of stairs with a breakfast tray. “You’re early than usual”

“I know”

I smile at my cute favorite old lady who’s taken care of me since I was born, I guess it’s safe to say she’s like an unofficial grandmother.

I kiss her on the cheek and walk passed her.

“No, no, no miss” She follows me “Go to the dining room and have your breakfast”

“I can’t” I start walking backwards “It’s just the second week of school and I have a ton to get done”

“You didn’t eat last night” She uses a strict voice “There is no way I’m letting you leave this house like that”

“I have a bar”

“That’s not breakfast”

I open the front door of the mansion and wave goodbye, giving her a sweet smile, the one that got me out of most things with her.

I sat on my desk as I heard Mr. Chong call out the names who are partnered up for this lab. Of course he calls out my last name with Sehun’s. Apparently Principal Kim sent an email to all the homeroom teachers on the heads up about me and looking out for his grades this year.

I stand up looking around the class but there was no sign of Sehun, great. I sigh and walk to the lab table. I start setting up and when I turn around Sehun was sitting next to me. How does he keep doing that?

“You showed up” I say lightly, I was actually relieved that he did

He doesn’t exchange words with me instead he just gives me his intense gaze that never fails to make me uncomfortable. I shake it off and continue setting up. As I’m preparing for the lab I notice Sehun is still staring at me not doing anything but sitting still.

 “Are you going to help?” I ask

He starts doing something and when I turn around I notice he’s grabbing the wrong thing. I take it away from him and put it on my side away from his reach.

“We don’t need that for this” I tell him patiently

If he lit that up he could potentially burn the class down, possibly the school.

“You need to relax”

I quickly respond “We need to learn this”

“Why?”

I sigh “How could you forget. You need a 4 on this exam to get college credit. Which you’re behind on, so can you just do the lab?”

“I’d love to” He says sarcastically

I roll my eyes trying my best to not snap at him

I watch him carefully, making sure he doesn’t try doing anything that he isn’t supposed to. Once he looks like he’s actually cooperating I begin with the writing.

“This lab isn’t even important.” He murmurs

“It is if you want to maintain a high GPA and have a successful career”

“I don’t need one”

“Right,” I pause fixing the amount of fluid he put in the Erlenmeyer flask “You’re the future heir to your father’s company.”

“You would assume that wouldn’t you”

I stop and look at him, his cold stare locked with my brown eyes.

He continues “We don’t need science, we need time.”

I shake my head in disbelief “How is time going to get you into college?”

“Not going.”

I sit up straight, surprised to find this out. “You don’t plan on going? Then what are you going to do after graduation?”

There’s a short silence as those cold emotionless brown eyes stare at me “The sky is the limit”

“Mr. Chong, I know I have to be responsible for him but I need a new lab partner. It’s just not working out.”

I waited for the bell to ring so I can convince Mr. Chong to switch me partners. There was just no way of getting Sehun to focus and he wasn’t making it any easier for me.

“You know Sehun is a very smart kid, he just needs to apply himself.”

“He won’t listen to me”

“Just try to make it work, okay?” He says softly

I let a tiny smile escape from my lips, completely understanding but at the same time feeling defeated. I had a feeling no matter what I said I wasn’t going to get my way. I take a deep breath releasing it as I nod. I walk away and a few seconds later I can hear Sehun’s voice loud enough for me to hear.

“I can’t work with her she’s a complete compulsive control freak.”

I stood there shocked that he said that to Mr. Chong. I quickly walk out of class, his words playing over in my head. My feet come to a stop when I realize that he had no right saying those things about me, I was just trying to help him.

I turn around so I can confront him and when I do he’s already walking out of class towards my direction.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

He doesn’t stop his steps, he walks passed me and I stood there confused. Honestly even though it’s been two days with him I couldn’t help but to feel really annoyed. I tried my best to give him a chance and to not judge but he just made it impossible. For the first time I strongly disliked someone, no scratch that I hated him.

Saerin rushed towards me and Kyungri at our lunch table.

She smiles “My party is all taken care of”

“Good” Kyungri smiles “Now we can stop listening to you about it”

I laugh inside at Kyungri’s comment

Saerin rolls her eyes “Are you going to want the dets. or not?”

We give her our full attention and she continues.

“I asked Chanyeol to help me and he’s—”

“Wait” Kyungri interrupts “Park Chanyeol? You asked him for help?”

She nods while Kyungri and I share a look

“You know he has the best ideas every single time he throws a party so if you guys couldn’t help I thought it would make sense to just ask him.”

“But we don’t talk to them?” I add

“Which I don’t understand why we didn’t sooner” She smiles “He’s so funny and really sweet”

“Not when we would go to their parties, they never acknowledged us?” I pause, thinking about the whole situation. If Saerin was getting help from Chanyeol that meant one thing, Sehun would be there and I needed to avoid him. All he does it stress me out.

I my lips “You’re not inviting him are you?”

Saerin gives me the-are-you-kidding-stare “I am. How rude would I be if I didn’t after all the help he’s done?”

I shut my eyes and dreaded her answer. I decide to take a breather. Saerin lived in a big mansion, half of the school will be there, and there was no chance I would run into Sehun. I nod, staying positive.

Kyungri’s question breaks my thoughts “So what time and when?”

“Friday night and it starts at 9:00”

“So, you lovely girls better be there”

I look up and notice the tall guy placing his food tray at our table and following right behind are his friends. As I look at each one my eyes lock to a familiar pare. Shoot me now. They all take a seat comfortably. How is it that we’ve known each other for three years and they’re deciding to sit with us now? I take my mean thoughts away, it wasn’t their fault for my annoyance that was caused by the boy sitting across from me.

Saerin smiles at us “I told them they can eat lunch with us if they wanted”

Chanyeol and Saering started a side conversation while the other four boys were stand offish but it didn’t take long for Kyungri to start a conversation with them.

I was the only one who wasn’t as welcoming which was strange on my part when I’m always friendly to everyone. I guess it just had to do with the fact that Sehun wouldn’t stop staring at me. I really hated it and I was on the verge of yelling at him to stop but I bit my tongue.

“Do you know how ing ridiculous this party is going to be?” Chanyeol smiles looking at all of us and I can’t help but to smile at how enthusiastic he was, every single day.

Tao responds back “Everyone is going to envy us”

“Why?” Kyungri asks

Tao turns his attention to her but Kai responds “Everyone has wanted to get asked to sit at your table. You guys are the girl version of us.”

No way, we never teased guys, we never played with their emotions, and we never let their attention be important to us.

I decide to speak up “We’re not. We don’t use people like you do”

All eyes are on me now

Kris’ deep voice is the one to break the silence “Saerin is using Chanyeol”

Everyone shares a laugh except me. “She’s getting help which is different”

Kyungri places her hand on my arm “It was a joke Hayoung”

I stare at her confused, I wasn’t sure how it was funny but somehow my friends did and so did the boys. I look over at Sehun and he looks away annoyed. Why was he so upset?

“Why did you tell them it was okay to sit with us?” I ask Saerin as she was getting things from her locker

She cracks a smile “They’re nice”

“They say jokes” I reply

Kyungri places her arm around my neck “They’re pretty funny.”

I raise my eyebrows “How?”

“Relax little one, why are you acting like this?” Kyungri smiles at me

“I just thought we didn’t like them and now you guys consider them friends?”

Saerin shuts her locker “We didn’t care for them but if you give them a chance, they’re okay guys” She smiles at me and both of my friends walk off

“Come on” Kyungri calls me out as I stood behind. I take a deep breath and catch up to them.

It was the last class for the day and after this everyone was going to enjoy their weekend unless they’d be like me and come to school on Saturday and get things done, which of course I didn’t mind.

My desk was put together with another and Sehun leaned against the chair playing with a pencil. He had it in between his nose and upper lip. I peak over at him as I finished writing the math problem.

“Come on” I encourage him “Just five more minutes” I tap my pen on his worksheet

He replies back “Exactly. That’s what I’m waiting for.”

“You haven’t done any of the assignments you’re behind in or the recent ones. Can you please try to do this?”

I look at him and he ignores me. I tuck my lips in and smack them. I turn my body to face him.

“Why are you like this?” I pause getting his attention “What’s your point?”

He sits up straight “Why am I going to waste time putting energy to numbers on a white sheet of paper when I could spend my time playing with this pencil”

“Can you answer without a smart remark for once?”

“Is a yes okay with you?”

I couldn’t understand his behavior, a minute he’ll be quiet and stand offish then the next he’ll be talkative. What was his deal? I close my eyes scratching my top eyebrow in frustration, just five more minutes and I won’t have to deal with him over the weekend.

“I think” He adds “You should ask yourself that question. When did you become like this?”

I open my eyes thinking of the reason. The first two years of my mother’s death put me in a state of depression. Middle school was a drag for me up until my first year in high school. Once I began my second year here I promised myself that every task I do it needs to be perfect not only for me but for my mom. I knew she would want me to do well in school and the thought of failing her devastated me. Even though she wasn’t around to see my efforts the fact of me knowing I’m doing my best puts me at ease that I am satisfying her making her proud. There was one thing though that I just couldn’t seem to get right and that was dancing. She became a dance teacher and opened her own studio, it was her life, dancing was her passion.

When I was younger, every time I saw her dance it made me want to be just like her. So when I turned eight she taught me. It became part of me but I haven’t danced for those past four years, I stopped the day after her accident.

“You know” Sehun’s voice brings me back from my deep thoughts “Once it’s up you’re going to wish you had more time.”

As much as I hated to admit it, I finally agreed with him on something. I wish I had more time with my mom, I wish I didn’t spend it the way I did when she was around.

The bell rings and Sehun doesn’t hesitate to get out of his seat.

“Get caught up” I blurt out before he walks off but he’s out the door before I can say anything else and there I was again, back to hating him.